7 Fun (and Cheap) Things to Do With Friends

Gone are the days where I spent weekend upon weekend with a boundless number of things to do with friends. I’ve found that on embarking my 30s, making time to hang out is a task that can take weeks if not months to plan. Which means, that when you do meet up, it needs to be meaningful and enjoyed by all. Yes? So here are a couple things my friends (the handful) and I do when we need that ‘us’ time. And best of all, most of them are kind on your pocket!

+ Attend a local book reading. There’s nothing better than hearing an author read their own book. I know, it sounds boring, but I’ve found that going to a book reading which features local and regional authors to be surprisingly entertaining. I have bought so many really good books due to these and best of all is that you have someone with whom you can question everything you just heard, annnnd you now have a reading partner and your very own book club!

+ A day trip. Be it to the beach, on a hike or a city tour, being out for a day with a bestie who you see mayyyybe once every couple months can really do you wonders.

+Work out! Do some yoga. Take a bike ride. Walk around a savannah. Get in some Tai Chi. I love love love public and community yoga sessions. Having a friend to join in only adds to the fun.

+ Go beauty and skincare window shopping. I can spend hours in places like Macy’s, MAC and Sephora, just wandering around. Testing this and that. It’s great to have someone who knows you, give their opinion on a fragrance you’re considering. Or simply to tell you “no girl, that lippie aint it”.

+Run errands. Trust me, THIS is my favorite thing to do with friends. Weirdly it’s where I bond the most. Shopping for birthday, Christmas and Valentine’s Day gifts are so much more tolerable when you have company. I’ve had days where we all had things to get done and we used our time together to do so. It may sound a bit off, but it doesn’t feel like running errands when you have friends to tag along.

+ Go to a concert or see a play. I don’t think I need to say much more here. Sometimes I can’t WAIT for the play to be over so I can discuss and debate after. You have nothing at all to lose here. What I would give to see Les Miserables again on Broadway!

+Chillin’ at home. I look at my mom and one of her best friends. They visit each other’s house and would spend the entire day. They talk, nap, eat, watch TV, gossip (of course), catch up on the kids and grandkids, and in the end, a great time is had by all. My cousin and I do this all the time as well. It’s just so natural, easy and doesn’t take more than an ounce of planning (except booking that free day of course!).

What are some fun things to do with friends? Anything you can recommend?

13 responses to “7 Fun (and Cheap) Things to Do With Friends”

So many great suggestions! I love a good beach day. When my husband and I lived in North Carolina, we spent all summer at the ocean. The only thing we spent money on was beer haha super cheap, fun and relaxing!

I love this list. As much as I love seeing my friends, it can be expensive because everyone wants to go out to an event or restaurant that usually costs. I’m 25 and still trying to build a foundation, so outings get really expensive. I love that one of my friends is totally cool with having anime binge nights where we cook at one of our places and watch anime all night lol.

I have to say that chilling at home appeals to me the most. I used to go out a lot but nowadays I just can’t be bothered. I’m happy and content at home with my husband watching TV, cooking together or just having meaningful conversations.

Thank you for these ideas! My friends and I usually just eat out for dinner which are usually at very expensive restaurants so I always feel like we’re wasting our time and money since we always do the same thing. Will definitely recommend these things the next time we plan to meet up!

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